Shear pin for deactivating a steering pad of a rotary steerable system

Abstract

A body of a shear pin can be positioned in a pad stopper of a steering pad of a rotary steerable system. The rotary steerable system can be used to steer a drill in a wellbore. The steering pad can be positioned on the rotary steerable system such that a head of the shear pin is coupled with a lateral pad of the rotary steerable system. The head of the shear pin can deactivate the steering pad by preventing the steering pad from actuating. A fluid pulse can be output in the wellbore to break the shear pin for enabling the steering pad to actuate to cause the rotary steerable system to steer the drill in the wellbore.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 positioning a body of a shear pin in a pad stopper of a steering pad of a rotary steerable system that is usable to steer a drill in a wellbore; 
 positioning the steering pad on the rotary steerable system such that a head of the shear pin is coupled with a lateral pad of the rotary steerable system, wherein the steering pad is coupled to the rotary steerable system through a hinge that allows the steering pad to rotate relative to the rotary steerable system and thereby control steering of the rotary steerable system, and further wherein the shear pin is received by a lateral pad slot; 
 deactivating, by the head of the shear pin, the steering pad by preventing the steering pad from actuating; and 
 outputting a fluid pulse in the wellbore to break the shear pin for enabling the steering pad to actuate to cause the rotary steerable system to steer the drill in the wellbore. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to breaking the body of the shear pin:
 containing an outward-facing portion of the shear pin, relative to the steering pad, in the pad stopper; and 
 containing an inward-facing portion of the shear pin, relative to the steering pad, in the lateral pad. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the shear pin includes a notch for separating the outward-facing portion and the inward-facing portion of the shear pin, and wherein the notch includes an intentional deformation of the shear pin for allowing the shear pin to break in response to receiving the fluid pulse. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid pulse is output subsequent to the rotary steerable system exceeding a depth value or a time value associated with a multilateral window of the wellbore. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid pulse is output at a pre-determined pressure for breaking the shear pin. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 positioning a second shear pin in a second lateral pad for deactivating a second steering pad of the rotary steerable system; and
 in response to breaking the second shear pin, enabling the second steering pad of the rotary steerable system to actuate. 
 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein positioning the body of the shear pin in the pad stopper comprises:
 coupling a threaded end of the shear pin with a threaded portion of the steering pad; or 
 coupling a male interference fit portion of the shear pin to a female interference fit portion of the steering pad. 
 
     
     
       8. A steering pad comprising:
 a hinge coupling the steering pad to a rotary steerable system to allow the steering pad to rotate relative to the rotary steerable system and thereby control steering of the rotary steerable system; 
 a pad stopper that is sized to receive a shear pin that is couplable with a lateral pad of the rotary steerable system usable for steering a drill in a wellbore, the shear pin comprising: 
 a body positionable in the pad stopper of the steering pad; and 
 a head positionable in a lateral pad slot of the lateral pad of the rotary steerable system to deactivate the steering pad by preventing the steering pad from actuating, the shear pin breakable in response to receiving a fluid pulse to enable the steering pad to actuate. 
 
     
     
       9. The steering pad of  claim 8 , wherein an outward-facing portion of the shear pin, relative to the steering pad, is containable in the pad stopper in response to breaking the body of the shear pin; and wherein an inward-facing portion of the shear pin, relative to the steering pad, is containable in the lateral pad in response to breaking the body of the shear pin. 
     
     
       10. The steering pad of  claim 9 , wherein the shear pin includes a notch for separating the outward-facing portion and the inward-facing portion of the shear pin, and wherein the notch includes an intentional deformation of the shear pin for allowing the shear pin to break in response to receiving the fluid pulse. 
     
     
       11. The steering pad of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid pulse is receivable by the steering pad subsequent to the rotary steerable system exceeding a depth value or a time value associated with a multilateral window of the wellbore. 
     
     
       12. The steering pad of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid pulse is receivable by the steering pad at a pre-determined pressure for breaking the shear pin. 
     
     
       13. The steering pad of  claim 8 , further comprising a second shear pin that is:
 positionable in a second lateral pad for deactivating a second steering pad of the rotary steerable system; and 
 breakable for enabling the second steering pad of the rotary steerable system. 
 
     
     
       14. The steering pad of  claim 8 , wherein the shear pin further comprises: a threaded end of the shear pin to couple with a threaded portion of the steering pad; or a male interference fit portion of the shear pin to couple with a female interference fit portion of the steering pad. 
     
     
       15. A system comprising:
 a steering pad positionable on a rotary steerable system that is usable for steering a drill in a wellbore, wherein the steering pad is coupled to the rotary steerable system through a hinge that allows the steering pad to rotate relative to the rotary steerable system and thereby control steering of the rotary steerable system; 
 a lateral pad positionable on the rotary steerable system and adjacent to the steering pad; and 
 a shear pin comprising: 
 a body positionable in a pad stopper of the steering pad; and 
 a head positionable in a lateral pad slot of the lateral pad of the rotary steerable system to deactivate the steering pad by preventing the steering pad from actuating, the shear pin breakable in response to receiving a fluid pulse to enable the steering pad to actuate. 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein an outward-facing portion of the shear pin, relative to the steering pad, is containable in the pad stopper in response to breaking the body of the shear pin, and wherein an inward-facing portion of the shear pin, relative to the steering pad, is containable in the lateral pad in response to breaking the body of the shear pin. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 16 , wherein the shear pin includes a notch for separating the outward-facing portion and the inward-facing portion of the shear pin, and wherein the notch includes an intentional deformation of the shear pin for allowing the shear pin to break in response to receiving the fluid pulse. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid pulse is receivable by the steering pad subsequent to the rotary steerable system exceeding a depth value or a time value associated with a multilateral window of the wellbore. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the fluid pulse is receivable by the steering pad at a pre-determined pressure for breaking the shear pin. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second shear pin that is:
 positionable in a second lateral pad for deactivating a second steering pad of the rotary steerable system; and 
 breakable for enabling the second steering pad of the rotary steerable system.